The Greatest Moments In Anthony Bourdain's Career

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1998: Bourdain Becomes Executive Chef at Brasserie Les Halles in NYC

In his formative years, Bourdain worked multiple kitchen roles at a Massachusetts seafood restaurant, following two years at Vassar College that left him unsatisfied with the traditional academic route. He ended up dropping out and enrolling at the Culinary Institute of America, later graduating in 1978.  Having struggled with chronic drug use and being a heavy drinker and smoker, Bourdain pulled himself together to become Executive Chef of New York City's Brasserie Les Halles in 1998. He once told The Caterer, "I’d be the last person in the world to say don’t take drugs for moral reasons. I’m still a big pot-head on my days off. But when cocaine is the main priority in your life, it’s not conducive to making good food."